It's the end of an era. That's really the only phrase that can describe what it means that Mr. Ed Phillips is retiring. After 40 years as physical education teacher, administrator and interscholastic coach, the Garden City Public School community is faced with the loss of a dedicated professional, mentor and friend.

As a past student who attended Stratford School from kindergarten through sixth grade, I started out my school years trying to avoid gym class. I did not have much aptitude for sports, hated running and in addition, was afraid of heights. For the most part, I was scared of an apparatus that wasn't a tumbling mat and I didn't try to hide my fears. My reluctance to participate coupled with a lack of natural physical agility most definitely made me a challenge for any physical education teacher - but Ed Phillips is not just any teacher.

With his charisma and knack for making you feel comfortable, he managed to encourage without patronizing, teach skills when there wasn't much to work with and create a sense of fearlessness when there was much to be afraid of. His combination of trustworthiness, strength and "tough love" made some of the most terrifying attempts seem somewhat within my grasp, though I never did have the physical strength to set any records or win any awards.

I will never forget the feeling I had when, after finally climbing to the top of the cargo net - a dizzying prospect to say the least and a great personal achievement - to hear Mr. Phillips' voice boom out across the gym, "Hey Petrella, now all you have to do is climb over to the other side!" He just naturally assumed that it would happen at some point - never letting you think it wasn't possible.

His self-assuredness was infectious and you always knew that when he was spotting you, nothing bad could really happen. He had a knack for putting you in your place if necessary, maintaining fairness, not playing favorites, treating boys and girls equally and never making you feel like you were anything but athletic.

He was accessible outside of our allotted gym class with early morning activities, the Olympics, as a sixth grade roller skating party chaperone and Colebrook trip leader. He was a pivotal force in the most anticipated events in a Stratford kid's tour of duty. Through my years at Stratford, his commitment and likable nature managed to infuse in me, a once unwilling participant, an appreciation for sports that bloomed in forthcoming years.

After moving on to junior high, I continued my tutelage under Mr. Phillips by serving as "manager" or more aptly named, statistician, for his varsity football, basketball and lacrosse teams. I learned the mechanics of football's offense and defense maneuvers, memorized plays, recorded tackles and touchdowns, carried the water bottles around and ran the final minutes of the clock downfield along the ref because there was no scoreboard.

He treated us (two other girls and me) like we were professionals instead of the giggly teenaged girls that we probably were. We were expected to attend every game, to ride the team bus and to know what was going on when he and the other coaches needed information. We were awarded varsity letters, pins and certificates just as the team members were. It started out as a potentially social activity but became one of the most rewarding non-academic experiences I had throughout my years in the Garden City Public Schools.

To this day I thank him for giving me the opportunity to learn about football just so I could keep up with my male friends over the years. In high school I proceeded to manage the junior varsity soccer and varsity wrestling teams, but without Mr. Phillips as coach, the job didn't have the same impact or come with such a great sense of belonging.

As the years passed and my mother became a colleague of Mr. Phillips, I got to see him from a different perspective - as a true friend and tireless voice of reason in times of unrest. And though I never did make it into the Stratford Club or over the top of that cargo net, I did manage one of the greatest triumphs for any Stratford kid - Mr. Phillips was among the many dear guests at my wedding in 1998. Now on trips back to Garden City when I take my daughter to visit her grandmother's classroom, I always pass through the gym first. Mr. Phillips is always happy to see us and tries to engage my shy, little girl much in the same way he did me and, perhaps hundreds of other students, over the years.

So while Mr. Phillips may not be coming back to fill Stratford's halls and fields with his resonant voice and easygoing demeanor, his legacy will continue with the students whose lives in which he made a difference. He leaves behind the example to encourage without bullying, correct without condescension and push without putting on the spot. He will always embody many things to many people: teacher, coach, cheerleader and fan.